Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 107

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1354

USA > New York > Dutchess County > Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York > Part 107

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To the above Mr. Hughes adds: " He was a firm believer at the time that the men of Ireland had a perfect right to strike the British flag wherever it floated, and counte- nanced the scheme of the Fenian Brotherhood to capture Canada and make it a base of oper- ations to work from for the liberation of Ire- land. After the capture of Fort Erie and de- feat of the 'Queen's Own' crack Canadian regiment by about 500 of the Fenian volun- teers, who succeeded in crossing Lake Erie on floats, President Johnson issued his neutrality proclamation, and Gen. Mead, who was in command of the lakes, was only too eager to enforce it. The 50,000 Fenian volunteers who had then assembled on the Canadian bor-

ders came to the conclusion that rather than precipitate the United States Government into a war with England, they gave up the project and returned to their homes, notwithstanding the fact that reinforcements were continuously arriving from all parts of the United States, the majority of whom were men who had just been discharged from the United States army, after the Southern Rebellion was suppressed, and for love of old Ireland volunteered their services without fee or reward. There was no power on earth that could have stopped them from capturing Canada; but the United States had just passed through four years of the great Rebellion, and Irishmnen thought too much of America to plunge her into a war with England so soon thereafter."

A MBROSE M. CULVER, one of the most prominent agriculturists of the town of Northeast, Dutchess county, is a native of that county, born in the town of Amenia, Septem- ber 2, 1869. His grandfather, Bachus Culver, who was born in the town of Pine Plains, was a noted farmer of his day, owning and culti- vating, in early life, a large tract of land in the town of Pine Plains. He was also en- gaged in cattle dealing, and, his ventures being uniformly successful, he accumulated a fine property. By his marriage he became the father of three children: Dudley, a member of the firm of Sherman & Culver, of New York City; Lavinia, who married William Bartlett, a brick manufacturer of the town of Amenia; and Walter B., our subject's father. Bachus Culver was a member of the Presbyterian Church, to which the later generations have also adhered. His last years were spent in Amenia town, where he and his wife both died.

Walter B. Culver was born at the old homestead in the town of Pine Plains, and re- mained there until 1864, when he married Miss Harriet Mygatt, daughter of Ambrose My- gatt, a leading resident of the town of Amenia, and a descendant of one of the oldest families of the town. For some years prior to his mar- riage, Mr. Culver located upon the Bartram farm, near Sharon Station, where he remained several years, and then removed to the My- gatt farm, in Amenia, where he now resides. He has been very successful, and is now the largest landholder in the township, owning four farmns besides the one upon which he re- sides, comprising in all over 1,000 acres. He

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is a Democrat, and has been active in local politics, holding office as assessor, road com- missioner. excise commissioner and school trustee. In educational matters he has taken great interest, and has been ready to befriend every movement for the benefit of the commu- nity. He and his wife are leading members of the Presbyterian Church at Amenia, of which he is a trustee. They have had eleven chil- dren, of whom eight are now living: May Emily, Laura B., Ambrose M., Dudley D .. Harry W., Arthur B., George R. and Bessie, all of whom are at home except our subject and Dudley, who is a farmer of the town of Amenia.

Ambrose M. Culver was educated in the public schools of his native town, and later at- tended Amenia Seminary for about six years, receiving a good English education. After leaving school, at the age of seventeen, he stayed with his father four years, and then took the Wheeler farm, just east of his father's, and conducted it on his own account two years. In 1893 he purchased the George Clark farm, in Northeast town, George Clark being a brother of Mrs. Culver's mother. Ac- cording to the original survey of this farm it contained 600 acres, but it is probably larger than that. It is on the State line, and a por- tion of it is in Connecticut. Mr. Culver has made many improvements upon the estate, and has made it one of the best farms in the town.

On February 15, 1894, Mr. Culver mar- ried Miss Ida Estelle Chapman, daughter of David S. Chapman, of Millerton, a well-known traveling salesman. They are members of the Baptist Church at Millerton, and are promi- nent in the best social circles of the locality. Being an intelligent and public-spirited young man, Mr. Culver has taken an active interest in local improvement, and is an active worker in the Democratic ranks, always giving his in- fluence toward the selection of able and relia- ble officials.

F REDERICK HENRY STREVER. There are numerous fine farms in Dutchess county which will compare favorably with any others in the State, as regards production, and also to the improvements that have been made upon them, many of which places are owned by men comparatively young in years. As a representative of this class of agriculturists, great pleasure is taken in presenting the name

of the subject of this notice, who has always lived in the town of Pine Plains. He was born on the old Strever homestead December 11, 1861.

His paternal grandfather, Adam A. Strever, was a native of Ancram, Columbia Co., N. Y., born November 24, 1793. He made farming his life occupation and continued to reside in Ancram until April, 1835, when he removed to the town of Pine Plains, Dutchess county, and purchased a farm consisting of 188 acres, on which he spent the remainder of his life, there dying July 14, 1866. He was a Jackson Democrat, and a loyal, patriotic man. Enlist- ing in the war of 1812, he immediately started for Plattsburg, but the battle was fought be- fore he reached his destination, and he was discharged. He stood firmly by the Union during the late Rebellion. A faithful member of the Presbyterian Church, he gave his sup- port to everything that would advance the moral and material welfare of the community, and was a public-spirited and enterprising man. In the family to which he belonged were four sons and four daughters. His brothers and sisters are as follows: Margaret. who became the first wife of William Tanner; Betsey, wife of Joseph Gillis, who located at Argyle, Washington Co., N. Y .: Maria, wife of Abram Reynolds, also of Argyle; Sally; John; Uldrick, who married Amanda Kinney and lived in Argyle; and Benjamin A., who died unmarried at the home of his cousin, John B. Strever.

Adam A. Strever was married to Clarissa Tanner, who was born January 16, 1797, to Samuel and Rachel (McIntosh) Tanner, and died December 4, 1877. They became the parents of three children: Rachel, who was born October 1, 1820, and died unmarried August 2, 1882; Sylvester, born March 29, 1822; and Benjamin A., the father of our sub- ject. The father of Mrs. Strever, Samuel Tanner, was born April 4, 1758, in Dover, Dutchess county, where he lived some years. He first wedded a Miss McIntosh by whom he had five children: William, born February 4, 1783, first married Margaret Strever, after her death Mrs. Finch, and bis third wife was Bet- sey Davis; John, born March 6, 1788, for his second wife chose Mrs. Christine Mosher; Rachel was born March 20, 1784; Alexander, born February 20, 1785, was married and had two children, one daughter marrying Dr. Plat- ner; and Margaret, twin sister of Alexander,

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was also married. For his second wife Sam- uel Tanner chose Rachel McIntosh, who was born August 4, 1767, and was a daughter of Alexander and Rachel ( Yonkhonce) McIntosh, and to them were born ten children, namely: (I) Mary Magdalene, born November 2, 1790, married William T. Woolridge. (2) James. born January 12, 1793, was married three times. (3) Reuben S. was born January 12, 1795. (4) Clarissa was the wife of Adam A. Strever, the grandfather of our subject. (5) Anthony, born August 13, 1799, was twice married, and died January 14, 1877. (6) Henry was born November 9, 1801. (7) Samuel was born August 6, 1804. (S) Morris was born April 26, 1807. (9) Almyra, born May 24, ISTO, was married to Jeremiah Lown. (10) Eliza, who completed the family, was the twin sister of Almyra, and married Andrew Case. Alexander McIntosh, the father of Mrs. Rachel Tanner, was undoubtedly a native of Scotland, and his parents died while on the voyage to the New World, and he worked for three years to pay his passage. The sister of our subject now has in her possession a small straw-covered trunk which he brought over about 1740. It is supposed that he sailed from England, and took the oath of allegiance to the King of England. Rather than break that oath he went as a' baker in the Colonial army during the Revolutionary war, and was called a Tory as he would not take up arms against the mother country. He remained in New York City for some time, where he mar- ried Clara Yonkhonce, but November 1, 1786, he bought land of George Clinton, and removed to the farm now owned by his great-grandson, Samuel Tanner. It is said that while looking for a place to build he accidently stepped into a spring, and said "here is where I will put my house." His wife's parents located about the same time on the land now owned by the Duxberry family.

Benjamin A. Strever, the father of our subject, was born on the old homestead in the town of Ancram, Columbia county, June 19, 1830, and in the district schools of the town of Pine Plains, Dutchess county, received a good common-school education. He was reared to agricultural pursuits. and in connec- tion with that occupation also engaged to some extent as blacksmith, carpenter, mason, artist, etc. In 1884 he removed to the farm still oc- cupied by the family.

On December 26, 1855, Benjamin A.

Strever married Amelia Jane Collier, who was born November 11, 1831, the daughter of Simeon Mace and Maria (Jones) Collier, and to them were born three children: (1) Frank- lin Adam (who still owns and occupies the old Strever homestead in Pine Plains), born Oc- tober IS, 1857, was married December 5, 1883. to Mary Elida Vosburg, who was born June 26, 1858, and is the daughter of John and Rhoda Ann (Scutt) Vosburg, and three children blessed their union-Rhoda Anna, born April 16. 1885; Raymond. V., born June 24. 1886; and Senella Blanche, born December 17. ISS7. (2) Frederick Henry, whose name introduces this sketch, is next in order of birth. (3) Rachel Tanner, born November 17, 1865.

Simeon Mace Collier, the maternal grand- father of our subject, was born July 30, 1807, and was married December 16, 1830, to Maria Jones, by whom he had two children: Amelia Jane and Gilbert Henry. She was born August 22, 1805, to Isaac and Sally (Ross) Jones, and died July 18, 1834. Her paternal grandparents were Isaac and Anna Jones, and her mother, who bore the maiden name of Sally Ross, was the niece of Captain Ross, who is buried at Mt. Ross. On December 10, 1839, Simeon Mace Collier was again married, his second union being with Eliza Thomas, who was born May 2, 1806, and was the daughter of John and Elsie ( Hollow) Thomas, and to them were born five children: Frances C., Thomas, George M., Gertrude Arnold and Amy Thomas. The father of this family was the fifth and youngest child of Noah and Leah (Mace) Collier. His mother was born Octo- ber 16, 1775, and after the death of Noah Collier, she became the wife of John Benson, and died in 1857. She was the second daugh- ter of Simeon and Deborah (Fillow) Mace. Her mother was born September 13. 1757, and in 1772 became the wife of Simeon Mace, who was born January 2, 1752, and died De- cember 24, 1822. Her death occurred Jan- uary 17, 1839. She was the daughter of John and Phebe (Olmsted Fillow. John Fillow was born probably about 1704 and married before 1726. He was the son of John and Sarah Fillow. It is thought that John Fillow, Sr., was born in France about 1667, and was about thirty-three years of age when he came to America, bringing his wife and three sons, who came here Huguenot refugees to escape religious persecution. On coming to the New World he located at Norwalk, Conn. He

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died about 1765, at the extremne old age of ninety-eight years.

In the usual manner of farmer lads Fred- erick H. Strever was reared to manhood, as- sisting his father in the labors of the farm, and attending the schools of the neighborhood. He has been quite successful in his agricultural pursuits, which he has continued to follow, and now has a farm of 140 acres of rich and arable land. He takes quite an active interest in local political matters, voting with the Repub- lican party, and is interested in school work. He is one of the representative young farmers of the locality.

I ISRAEL R. WILLSON, a prominent agri- culturist and dairyman of the town of North- east, Dutchess county, residing near Coleman Station, is a descendant of a hardy, long-lived Scotch-Irish ancestry, whose shrewd judgment and upright character won for them a leading place in this community. His great-grandfa- ther, Robert Willson, was one of three broth- ers who came from the North of Ireland at an early day, his ancestors having moved from Scotland to Ireland a number of years before. He settled upon a tract of 100 acres west of the present residence of Mr. Slee, where he followed farming successfully. He was an en- terprising, public-spirited man, and did much to develop the neighborhood, being one of the founders of the Congregational Church north of Amenia. He died in the latter part of the eighteenth century, and his wife, Betsey Hind- man, to whom he was married after coming to this country, lived to be over 100 years old. They had seven children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Reuben, Octo- ber 16, 1755; Amos, March 10, 1758, both of whom moved to Saratoga county, N. Y. ; Han- nah, May 15, 1760; Mary, April 1, 1763; Thomas, September 11, 1767, who moved to Ohio in early manhood; Margaret, September 9, 1769, the wife of Reuben Gaston, of Chan- tilly, N. Y .; and Robert, May 14, 1772, our subject's grandfather. He inherited his fa- ther's farm, but sold it and purchased the Murdoch property, containing about 400 acres, where he passed the greater part of his life. He was a captain in the State Militia, and a man of prominence in this region, active in politics as a member of the Whig party, and in business circles as a successful manager of his fine estate. He belonged to the Presbyte-

rian Church of Amenia City (now Smithfield), and was a deacon for many years. He was married November 11, 1795, to Sarah Thomp- son, of Amenia City, born February 7, 1777, and had eight children, whose names and dates of birth are here given: John, June 3, 1797; Hiram, August 12, 1799; Rebecca, May 17, 1801, who was married January 6, 1820, to Philip Flint: Samuel T., October 3, 1803, who was married February 21, 1833, to Eme- line Shornberger; Theron, June 10, 1805, who was married January 8, 1829, to Lydia Collin; Robert E., March 28, 1807, a well-known minister of the Presbyterian Church, who was married February 20, 1838, to Mary Strong, sister of Justice Strong of the United States Supreme Court; Sarah, August 12, 1811, who died at an early age; Henry, July 12, 1814, who was married to Sarah E. Cady, October 25, 1838; and Barak, January 24, 1817, who married Cordelia Collins, September 24, 1840. Capt. Willson died October 21, 1854, and his wife survived him until July 6, 1872, when she died at the age of ninety-five years.

Hiram Willson, our subject's father, also followed farming as an occupation, and spent many years on the homestead at Amenia City. He moved to the town of Pine Plains in 1844, and bought a place known as the Knicker- bocker farm, where he passed his remaining years, his unusual executive ability enabling him to accumulate a fine property. He was married February 18, 1824, to Eliza Reynolds, a lady of English descent, and a granddaughter of Stephen Reynolds, who came from Rye, Long Island, and located at Pine Plains. Her father, Dr. Israel Reynolds, was one of the prominent citizens of that local- ity. He married Deborah Dorr, of Lyme, Conn., and had three children-Walter, who was an able lawyer of Pine Plains; Julia and Eliza. Hiram Willson died June 22, 1873. and his wife September 30, 1892. Their six children were born as follows: Ellen, October 8, 1825; Israel, November 2, 1827; Julia . Mrs. Isaac Carpenter), February 11, 1830; Edward P., December 26, 1832, who married Olive Sinks, of Leavenworth, Kans. ; Sarah R., May 2, 1836, who was the second wife of Isaac Carpenter; Elizabeth D., July 20, 1838, who married Theodore Strong, of Pittston, Penn .; a brother of Justice Strong, of the United States Supreme Court.

Israel Willson first saw the light of day at the farm now occupied by John N. Conklin in

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the town of Northeast. He received a good academic education, attending the district schools near his home, and later the schools of Warren, Conn., and Pittsfield, Mass. He is a very intelligent man, a great reader, and has taken the New York Tribune for forty years. On leaving school in 1852, he bought a farm of 160 acres of Barak Will- son, to which, four years later, he added 120 acres purchased of Stoughton Moore, and sub- sequent additions have enlarged it to a tract of 320 acres, making one of the best farms of the town. The Harlem railroad was built through it in 1851, and, in the following spring, Mr. Willson engaged in the milk business, being one of the pioneers in that line, and has met with gratifying success.

On September 16, 1852, he married Eliza- beth Conklin, a daughter of John Conklin, and granddaughter of Major Nathan Conklin, an officer in the Revolutionary war, who came to Dutchess county from East Hampton, Long Island, about 1781. They have had three children: Elizabeth Hunting, who was born August 16, 1856, and died June 7, 1878; and Julia, born November 11, 1858; and Helen F., born August 14, 1864, who married D. Dewey Merwin. Mr. Willson and his family are lead- ing members of the Presbyterian Church at Amenia, and he is one of the active workers in all matters of local improvement. Although he never aspired to office he was town as- sessor for six years, and he takes great interest in national affairs, being in early years a Whig. and later a Republican.

T HOMAS O'BRIEN, one of the most en- terprising and prosperous agriculturists of the town of Dover, Dutchess county, resides near Dover Plains on a fine farm of 225 acres, which he devotes to dairy work and stock rais- ing. He is a native of Parish Vancha, County Tipperary, Ireland, where his ancestors have made their home for many years. His father, Daniel O'Brien, conducted a large dairy farm there, supplying the neighboring cities with milk. He married Margaret Dempsy, and had six children: Daniel, who died at an early age, Jeremiah, John, Thomas, Margaret and Mary.

Mr. O'Brien came to the United States in 1854, and located for a time upon a farın in the town of Beekman, Dutchess county. Later he purchased his present property, known as the Hall farm. In politics he is a Democrat,

and he has always taken an intelligent interest in all that concerns the welfare of his adopted country. He was married at Wappingers Falls to Miss Mary Cunningham, who was born and educated in the Emerald Isle, and came to America in 1850 at the age of twenty. They have three children: (1) Mary T., who was born in the " Clove " in 1862, married Thomas McIncram, a farmer in Amenia, and has four sons- Thomas, Joseph, John and Leo. (2) John who was born in 1863, received his edu- cation in the schools of Dover, and is now en- gaged in farming with his father. (3) Julia A. is at home.

Mrs. O'Brien's grandfather, Thomas Cun- ningham, was born in the Parish of Golden, County Tipperary, Ireland, where he was a farmer during his mature years. He and his wife, Bridget, reared a family of children, among whom was a son, Patrick, Mrs. O'Brien's father, who moved in early manhood to Tulli- mane Parish, Lethard, County Tipperary, Ire- land, and engaged in agriculture. He married Bridget Markley, daughter of Dennis Markley, a farmer of the same locality, and his wife, Johanna. Thirteen children were born to them, of whom four died in infancy. Of the others, Thomas married, first, Catherine Hayes, and, second, Miss Penneferth; Patrick married Kate O'Brien; Dennis, Miss Hayes; Michael, Mary O'Brien; John; Johanna, Charles Wat- son; Margaret, Mr. Kennedy; Mary, Thomas O'Brien; and Bridget died at an early age.

E AUGENE HAM, a progressive agriculturist of the town of Washington, is now de- voting his time and attention exclusively to his farming interests, operating the old homestead where his life has, for the most part, been passed.

Conrad Hamn, grandfather of our subject, was a native of Dutchess county, born in the town of Washington, in 1757, and was there educated in the common schools. By his mar- riage with Elizabeth Haight he had six chil- dren: Henry, George, Milton, Lewis, Jonathan (father of our subject ) and Hannah. Of these, Henry was born, reared and educated in the town of Washington, and married Miss Eliza- beth Thorn, by whom he had four children: C. Conrad, Joseph, Sarah and Elizabeth (wife of Peter Mesick). George, a farmer by occu- pation, married Miss Catherine Marshall, and they had two children: Stephen (who married

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Sarah Sleight) and Hannah (who married Ste- phen Angelb. Milton, also an agriculturist, wedded Miss Phebe F. Ferris, and they had three children: John (who married Rhoda Sleight. Sarah, and George who married Miss Grace Seymoure); Lewis never married.

Jonathan Ham, the father of our subject, was a native of the town of Washington, and after attending the common schools near his home took a course in the Jacob Willets school. Quite early in life he began tilling the soil, and became a very successful farmer, acquiring a large tract of land in both Washington and U'nionvale towns, on which he carried on gen- eral farming. He married Miss Mary Vincent. daughter of James and Mary (Sisson) Vincent, prosperous farming people of the town of Unionvale, and three children were born to them: Eugene, Helen and Elizabeth B.

In the town of Washington, Eugene Ham, the subject proper of this sketch, was born in 1850, received his primary education in the local schools, and later was a student at Col- lege Hill, in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. After his return he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, purchasing the old homestead in the town of Washington, where he has since re- sided. He is a wide-awake, progressive citi- zen, taking a deep interest in the welfare of the community, and is widely and favorably known. On June 15, 1881, he was married to Miss Mary K. Sleight, who was born in the town of Lagrange, Dutchess county, and re- ceived her education at Poughkeepsie. They have become the parents of six children: Mary, Francis, Irene, Edwin S., Lewis E. (who died in infancy) and Eugene.

James Sleight, the great-grandfather of Mrs. Ham, was a native of Ulster county, N. Y., and was a gallant Revolutionary soldier. By his marriage with Miss Elsie de Reimer he had five children: Peter R., Henry A., Har- riet, Elsie and James Edwin. The first named, Peter R. Sleight, was born in the town of Poughkeepsie, July 20, 1804, and there secured a common-school education. He engaged in farming, and was also president of the Dutch- ess County Mutual Insurance Company at Poughkeepsie. He took a great interest in all public improvements, and was a highly re- spected citizen. He was twice married, his first union being with Sallie A. Barnes, by whom he had one son, James Edwin, the fa- ther of Mrs. Ham. After her death he wedded her sister, Miss Catherine Barnes, and they

had three children: Sarah A., David B. (who died in the army during the Civil war), and Alexander W.

James E. Sleight, father of Mrs. Ham, was a native of Lagrange, and after completing his education engaged in farming. Later he con- ducted a mill and also carried on farming. He married Miss Frances E. Titus, daughter of Elias and Annette (Hoag) Titus, the former of whom was a woolen manufacturer of Pough- keepsie. Mrs. Ham, who was born in 1854. is the eldest of four daughters, the others be- ing Rhoda, the wife of John M. Ham, of Wash- ington Hollow, N. Y .; Sallie, the wife of Dr. Augustus Angell, now of Hartford, Conn .; and Fannie, the wife of Henry Winchester, a mer- chant of South Amenia. Dutchess county.

R OBERT J. STUART. proprietor of the extensive foundry and machinery works at New Hamburg, Dutchess county, is well known throughout that county as a prosperous and thorough-going business man. He was born May 15, 1847, at Darkley, County Ar- magh, Ireland, as was also his father. William Stuart, and comes of Scottish ancestry on his father's side.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 107

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1354

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1354